Sweetie Kawaii Maid's Top 5 Japanese & Asian Candy Recommendations

My Top 5 Japanese & Asian Candy Recommendations

At many comic cons we get asked a lot "What our favourite snacks are and what we recommend?" So we have decided to make a list! Here are my Top 5 candies and snacks:

5. Pejoy Cookies and Cream Milkshake Flavour Filled Biscuit Sticks

In my opinion, if you like Pocky then you will like Pejoys! Pejoys are basically like an inside out Pocky and they are made by Glico who are also the lovely people who brought you Pocky. But there’s just something about Pejoys that make it tastier than a Pocky. The first thing you notice about these Cookies and Cream Milkshake Pejoy is the beautiful packaging and once you open the packet you are hit with a sweet vanilla cream aroma of the Pejoys. The first bite of the pejoy is significantly different than a Pocky, as a Pejoy has a thicker biscuit shell which gives it more crunchiness compared to Pocky and the middle is filled with a creamy vanilla milk centre. The cocoa cookie biscuit really complements the vanilla cream middle and it tastes almost exactly like an actual cookie and cream milkshake. I personally prefer Pejoys to Pocky because there is more emphasis on the flavour overall and they are delicious on their own as a snack, but I also recommend them being eaten with ice cream or parfait!

4. Taiwan Dessert Strawberry & White Chocolate Mochi

Mochis are traditional Japanese rice cakes that are soft and bouncy in texture and have a flavoured filling in the middle such as anko (also known as red bean) but you can find many interesting flavours these days. Taiwan Dessert strawberry and white chocolate mochis are super delicious and they are so moreish! The mochi itself is a light and soft strawberry flavoured layer with a creamy white chocolate ganache in the centre that simply melts in your mouth. When I eat mochis they feel very nostalgic to me as I grew up on them. I was always very happy when I found out my parents either brought home some mochis or when my mum used to make homemade mochi. My mum’s mochi however were always the same peanut flavoured centre. My mum would roast the peanuts first, chop it up into tiny pieces and added some sugar - it was a sweet yet savoury snack. I think mochis are great as a small afternoon snack and they go very well with Jasmine tea or most herbal teas.

3. Oishi Spicy Prawn Crackers Shrimp Chips

First of all, can I say that I grew up and looovvve prawn cracker shrimp chips so much! Back in my early days and for a very long time in my childhood I did not know that prawn crackers in the UK are not like Asian prawn crackers at all! My parents would never order takeout of any kind in our household and when I finally ate a prawn cracker from a takeaway I was appalled. (If you love takeaway prawn crackers or takeaways in general that’s okay but it was such a shock to my system and I was like, "Are you for real this is what you think Asian food is and taste like? lol") But back to my prawn cracker shrimp chips they are sooo delicious, savoury and crispy and you can really taste the aromatic prawn flavour. I prefer the spicy version because I like a little bit of heat but I could definitely eat an entire bag of them to myself as they are a very moreish yet light snack!

2. Marukyo Azuki Red Bean Dorayaki Pancake

I really love dorayakis! Dorayakis are a traditional Japanese confectionery that consists of two castella style pancakes sandwiched together with an azuki red bean filling (although these days you can have different varieties of flavours like chocolate, custard, matcha cream and more!) These dorayakis are so soft, fluffy and not overly sweet and it has a perfect ratio of anko (red bean) to castella pancake. They are my favourite go to snack and I think it complements tea very well. I think genmaicha (Japanese green tea with toasted brown rice - which is my favourite tea by the way!) is the perfect pairing!

1. Tohato Nagewa Consomme Potato Ring Crisp Snack

I don’t know why but anything made by Tohato I absolutely love! Tohato are a Japanese company that specialises in snacks especially crisps. I have never come across any product that I don’t like by Tohato they are simply geniuses in making snacks and this nagewa consommé potato ring crisp is no different! In fact it think this is by far my favourite savoury snack because it is so light yet crispy yet its bursting with umami flavour! I think the closest thing I can describe this crispy snack is like if a Pringle and Hula Hoop* had a baby and this is the results… The consommé flavour really comes through you can really taste the delicious roasted chicken and roasted vegetable flavours and once I eat one that’s it I’m hooked, I’m sorry I am not sharing. Bye lol.

*For those of you outside of the UK, a Hula Hoop is British brand of crisps which are shaped like cylinder rings.

For more candies and snacks please check out our collection!